Proposed budget would increase taxes in Village of Hamburg
Published: February 09, 2010, 12:30 am
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Many departmental expenses have been reduced to help offset an increase in employee retirement and health insurance costs in the proposed budget for the Village of Hamburg.
Residents would see an increase in the tax rate of less than 2 percent, while the total amount to be raised by taxes would go up about 2 percent. The difference is due to an increase in assessments.
A public hearing will be conducted on the budget at 7:15 p. m. next Tuesday in Village Hall, 100 Main St.
The general fund tax rate for the 2010-11 budget would be $17.81 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, up 33 cents. Taxes on a home assessed at $100,000 would go up $33. The tax levy is $5.61 million, up $119,430, or 2.1 percent.
Village Administrator Donald P. Witkowski said that, with the weak economy, the last thing village residents need is a large tax increase. The proposed budget would use $345,000 in surplus to keep the tax rate from going higher. That is about double the amount used this year, but it is not a move village officials want to make every year.
“You don’t want to get stuck on using savings,” Witkowski said.
The general fund totals $8.12 million, up $151,068, or nearly 2 percent more than this year. Much of the increase is attributed to the jump of $137,000 in state retirement costs.
Salary costs are up less than 1 percent and include contractual raises for most unionized employees and increases for non-union officials, except elected officials. No increase is shown in police pay because the contract is still being negotiated, Witkowski said.
The police chief has the highest salary among village officials, $108,503. Witkowski would receive $74,155.
Salaries would remain the same for mayor, $9,821; trustee, $5,169; and justice, $15,206.
The board hopes to save money in the future by having all new employees pay 100 percent of health insurance costs after they retire.
Landfill costs are going up, and the village will use a different recycling vendor.
“One of the things we’re looking at is can we reduce the amount of stuff going to the landfill?” Witkowski said.
The village also plans to combine $60,000 in village funding with state aid to come up with $201,614 to repair and resurface streets.
bobrien@buffnews.com
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